Carbide adapter for salute cannon



Jan. 30, 1968 E. T. CHAPMAN 3,365,832

CARBIDE ADAPTER FOR SALUTE CANNON Afro Nens United States Patent O 3,365,832 CARBKDE ADAPTER FR SALUTE EANNN Eugene T. Chapman, 1014 William St., Apt. 224, Fredericksburg, Va. 2240i Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,806 6 Claims. (Cl. f2-55) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in salute cannons such as are used in ceremonies and, more particularly, to an adapter which makes possi-ble the use of calcium carbide at the charge material.

The cannons now in use to provide salutes for ceremonies, celebrations, funerals and the like, use a blank shell which is expensive. At the present time, the cost is just less than ten dollars for each blank shell. The blank shell usually has black powder which leaves an accumulation of residue in the bore of the cannon. Excessive maintenance is required to remove the residue. Confinement of a gas is inherent in blank shell detonation. This confinement of exploded gas necessitates the cannons be pro vided with recoil mechanisms. Even when so equipped, enough recoil movement to be hazardous to persons nearby remains. Further, transportation, handling and storage of the blank shells is just about the same as for shells with live ammunition. It is possible that the supply of blanks shells for one year for one military installation could fill a railway boxcar, require laborious loading and unloading and then, a warehouse would be required for storage.

The adapter of this invention includes a capsule which is insertable in a modified used shell of the calibre required for the particular cannon which is being used.

The conversion adapter of this invention obviates the aforesaid disadvantages. The modified shell with a capsule in place fits readily in the breech with no modification of the cannon. The capsule includes a container with calcium carbide, a detonating cap and a sleeve to contain the calcium carbide until closing of the breech. The calcium carbide then falls into a container of water and produces acetylene gas which is then exploded by operation of the normal firing mechanism of the cannon activating the detonating cap.

Alignment means are provided to assure that the carbide is dropped into the water container. Since there is no compression of the acetylene, there is virtually no recoll of the cannon. The capsule and the water container are reloadable and, therefore, nothing is expended except the detonating cap, the carbide and the water. The cost of operating the cannon with this carbide adapter is magnitudes less than the cost of operating the cannon With blank shells.

Fouling of the cannon is limited to be within the modified shell and not in the muzzle. With the system of this invention, only a few pounds of carbide need be reserved and a few small size caps, such as .22 calibre. A supply for average operation for a year would require around pounds of carbide and a supply of caps. A container sized 12 by 18 by 24 inches would hold all the materials needed for operating the cannon for a year.

For a salute, a small amount of carbide, water and a small detonating cap are the only consumed materials in the system. All other parts of the system are reusable. The capsule and the modified shell are undamaged by firing the salute, and recharging with carbide and with water for repeated use is simple. The cost of producing salutes is reduced by this invention by a factor of more than 100 to 1.

EbiiZ Patented Jan. 30, i968 ICC Maintenance is minimal in that the adapter needs only periodic cleaning since there is no black powder in the bore of the cannon. The cannon is virtually maintenance free. Further, since there is only a very minute pressure build up, the recoil mechanism of the cannon is no longer necessary. This increases the safety factor since less movement of the cannon means less likelihood of injury. Also breech jams are practically eliminated. ln such an event, the lack of confinement of the detonating gas assures that no pressure will build up within the cannon. To prevent misfires, all that is necessary :is to open the breech and permit the gases to circulate outside the cannon. Con tinuing maintenance consists merely of rinsing the water container in which the carbide is mixed, a very simple task.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a carbide adapter for a salute cannon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cannon salute at a greatly reduced cost.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a reusable carbide capsule for producing salutes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a salute cannon with low maintenance requirements.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a salute cannon with minimum recoil movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cannon salute in which breech jams and misres are practically eliminated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cannon salute at a cost that is magnitudes less than the previously used blank shells.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE l is an exploded perspective view of the adapter of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section plan view of the modified shell;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the capsule sleeve;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view of the moveable member of the capsule;

FIGURE 5 is a cutaway view of the relationship of the components of the adapter in operative position before the breech is closed; and

FIGURE-6 is a cutaway view of the relationship of the components of the adapter in operative position after the breech is closed.

Briefly, the adapter of this invention includes a shell from a cartridge which fits in the cannon to be used, such as the mm. howitzer for example. This shell is modified by providing an opening for a capsule containing calcium carbide to be inserted therein. The opening of the shell is so dimensioned that the capsule can be positioned therein in such a manner that a detonating cap in the capsule can be activated by the firing mechanism of the cannon. A container provided with water is positioned to receive the carbide from the capsule when the breech is closed. Detonation is accomplished by activating the regular firing mechanism of the cannon.

Turning now to the drawings, in which a typical embodiment is illustrated, FIGURE 1 shows the carbide adapter o-f this invention in an exploded perspective view. The modified shell 1t) can be a blank shell or an ammunition cartridge of the calibre of the cannon or howitzer to be used. The shell 10 is a normal cartridge of the calibre desired without any powder or round present. These cartridges may be the usually discarded ones after firing. Shell 1t) has been modified by cutting along edge 11 which forms an opening in the -top of the shell so as to provide room for inserting the capsule. Base 12 of shell 16 is likewise cut so that the capsule can be inserted therethrough.

The opening for the capsule can be a semi-circle to allow direct insertion from above. Clamp means can obviously be added to secure the capsule in the shell should such securing be necessary. Shell 11 is further modified by providing locating means 13. These locating means 13 receive ears 17 which are secured to sleeve 15. The openings of the two locating means 13 are differently dimensioned so as to receive the differently sized ears 17 in only one position of capsule 21. This assures the proper alignment of the capsule when it is inserted in shell 10. The remaining structural modification of the shell is the provision of the container 14 for water. This container may be of any configuration that will hold the proper amount of water.

Cylindrical sleeve 15 has an end 16 for receiving capsule 21. The pair of ears 17 are secured to sleeve 15 near end 16 and are diametrically opposed outwardly of said sleeve. For proper capsule alignment, the ears 17 are differently dimensioned so as to correspond to the differently dimensioned locating means 13. A keying means 18 is lprovided along a straight internal surface of shell 15. This keying means matches a cooperating keying means 19 on an outside straight surface of the capsule 21. The whole purpose of the locating means 13 cooperating with ears 17 cooperating with keying means 18 and 19 is that the chamber 22 which holds the calcium carbide be in correct position to permit the calcium carbide to be dropped unerringly into the water container 14. A detonating cap 26 is shown in position in the end of capsule 21. Cap 26 is located so as to be in the proper place to be detonated by the firing mechanism of the cannon in use.

The materials from which the several parts of this adapter are made can be brass, plastic, such assome of the nylons, and the like.

FIGURE 2 shows the modified shell 10 in a sectional plan view. The relationship of the base 12, the position locating means 13 and the water container 14 are illustrated as well as the cut of the shell along edge 11. The shell can be of any length so long as there is ample space provided to receive the capsule and the water container.

FIGURE 3 shows the sleeve 15 with ear 17 in the vicinity of end 16.

FIGURE 4 shows :the details of the capsule 21 with the sleeve 15 removed. A chamber 22 is provided at the rear of the capsule and is confined by rear wall 23 and filler structure 24. This filler structure 24 may be a sheet material forming an end for chamber 22 with a sheet material forming a channel 25 which connects chamber 22 and detonating cap 26. Alternately, filler structure 24 can be a solid material Whether metal or plastic with a hole drilled therethrough to form passage 25.

The keying means 18 in FIGURE 3 and 19 in FIGURE 4 are means for locating the opening of chamber 22 so that the carbide is deposited in the water container 14 when desired.

When chamber 22 is given a charge of calcium carbide, and the capsule is in storage or mounted in the cannon before the breech lock 27 is closed, sleeve 15 will cover chamber 22 so as to form a seal to prevent the calcium carbide from leaving chamber 22. This means that since sleeve 15 is shorter than capsule 21 by a dimension equal to the length of the opening of the chamber 22, sleeve 15 will not reach all the way to the cap end of capsule 21. This is better shown in FIGURE 5 which shows the relationship of the sleeve and capsule which is to be maintained at all times after charging with calcium carbide and before closing of 4 the breech of the cannon. FIGURE 5 also shows that the water container 14 is in position to receive the carbide when capsule 21 is moved through sleeve 15 bythe closing of the breech lock 27. In FIGURE 5, the shell and capsule are in position in the modified shell 10 with breech lock 27 in open position.

FIGURE 6 shows the displacement of capsule 21 upon closing of the breech lock 27 The calcium carbide is now free to fall from chamber 22 into the water container 14 and generate the acetylene gas which is practically instantaneously ignited by operating the normal firing mechanism of the cannon.

So it is seen that I have provided a carbide adapter for salute cannon which is relatively inexpensive to build. It can be operated at savings of about ninety percent. This invention produces salutes with negligible recoil, negligible maintenance and only a minimum of consumed materials.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a carbide adapter for salute cannon having a breech lock and a firing mechanism; a shell means having aperture means and water container means therein; a sleeve means; a capsule means having a detonator means and a charge chamber means, said capsule means movbly fitted in said sleeve means; and means for positioning said charge chamber means over said water container means and for positioning said detonator means to be actuated by the firing mechanism of the salute cannon.

2. The carbide adapter of claim 1 wherein said shell means has a base which is a portion of a disc and wall means of cylindrical configuration extending from said portion of a disc to define an aperture means, said aperture means in said wall means being of such dimension as to permit said capsule to be inserted therethrough and said aperture means in said base means being of such configuration as to permit the detonation means in said capsule to be positioned so as to be actuated by `the firing mechanism of the salute cannon.

3. The carbide adapter of claim 1 wherein said water container means is positioned on said wall means opposite said aperture means.

4. The carbide adapter of claim 1 wherein a pair of differently dimensioned positioning means are secured to said wall means to receive complementary positioning means on said sleeve.

5. The carbide adapter of claim 1 wherein said sleeve means is a cylindrical tubing having keying means inside thereof to meet with keying means on the outside of said capsule and having differently dimensioned ear means exl tending outwardly therefrom to mate with the differently No References Cited.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CARBIDE ADAPTER FOR SALUTE CANNON HAVING A BREECH LOCK AND A FIRING MECHANISM; A SHELL MEANS HAVING APERTURE MEANS AND WATER CONTAINER MEANS THEREIN; A SLEEVE MEANS; A CAPSULE MEANS HAVING A DETONATOR MEANS AND A CHARGE CHAMBER MEANS, SAID CAPSULE MEANS MOVBLY FITTED IN SAID SLEEVE MEANS; AND MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID CHARGE CHAMBER MEANS OVER SAID WATER CONTAINER MEANS AND FOR POSITIONING SAID DETONATOR MEANS TO BE ACTUATED BY THE FIRING MECHANISM OF THE SALUTE CANNON. 